A Different Life
by heroesofolympussy
Summary: All Aria ever wanted was to see her father again and she may get the chance if he doesn't get his soul taken first, that is. This is an AU in which Harry grows up knowing his heritage due to his godmother and godsister, Ariadne Black, who tries desperately to save her father during her fifth year.


These arenotmy original characters, all rights go to J.K Rowling, I do however own Aria.

Here's a little background knowledge that may or may not be helpful:

**Its** Harry Potter's third year and Sirius Black has escaped Azkaban. AU in which Harry is watched over by his godmother, Iris. He still lives with the Dursley's, however his favorite aunt Iris and her daughter, Aria like to make random visits to Privet Drive, to the Dursley's dismay. As a result, Harry's life isn't as horrible as meant to be. He knew who he was before the Hogwarts letter. He also understands that living with the Dursley's is a sure way to keep him safe until he's of age.

Aria grows up in Hogsmeade, dealing with the snide comments of others about her "murderous" father. However, her mother raised to believe that he was innocent, claiming that Sirius was in fact, not the secret keeper though she did not know who was. Harry knows this as well. There are a few things I changed, as well. One important one is that Walburga Black isn't dead.

* * *

Chapter One

Ariadne Black stood quietly next to her mother, Iris Black as she knocked rather harshly on the Dursley's front door making the curls of her caramel colored hair quiver with each knock. It didn't take a genius to realize her mum's anger, in fact Aria could relate. Neither her nor her mum had received an owl from Harry Potter, her godbrother in weeks and both of them were certain it was the Dursley's doing.

"Damn you, Dursley." her mum snapped, "You open this door right now, or I'll-."

Iris was cut off by the door being whipped open and standing within the threshold was Harry Potter, looking as skinny and untidy as usual. Poor boy needs some fattening, Aria thought. And a comb. "Thank Merlin." Harry breathed when he saw them, looking equally relieved. "Vernon just left to pick up Aunt Marge."

Aria shuddered at the thought of Aunt Marge as her mum swooped over and enveloped Harry in a tight hug. Harry had often told stories about the horrid, beefy women with the equally beefy looking dogs. "Why haven't you sent any owls?" Iris scolded as she pulled away from her godson's embrace.

"I promised to not send any letters, so Hedwig could stretch her wings at night." he told her, causing Aria to shake her head. What a bloody saint.

"Oi, Potter! That is your name, isn't it?" Aria teased with a grin, grabbing his attention. She was glad to see Harry alive and well. She was sure the Dursley's had thrown him into an early grave. "I'd reckon that a certain Marauder's son would have more stealth than that."

Iris laughs as Harry rolls his green eyes at her greeting. "Hello to you too, Ari." he says, sarcastically, but then turns back to Iris. "Shall I get my trunk?"

They both noticed his hopeful tone, happily and knowing the news they were about to break made them happier. Aria was so excited she wanted to scream the news here and now. "I want a word with your aunt, first."

Harry nods and glances at Aria for an explanation. She just winks and wills her black hair to turn a brilliant shade of violet. Harry knew it was because his Aunt Petunia hated Aria's colored hair. His god sister liked to use her metamorphmagus abilities to annoy a lot of people and his aunt happened to be on the top of that list.

He lets them inside the home and gestures to the kitchen which his aunt occupied. "Who was at the door, boy?" his aunt muttered before seeing Iris and Aria. She pales a little when she does. "What are you doing here?" she sneered

Iris ignores it and smiles sweetly at the woman. "Just stopped by for a quick chat, Tuney." she said, making Harry's aunt stiffen.

"What is it that you want, Black?" she demanded, her eyes flicker over to Aria and his godsister wills her hair to turn a different color as Petunia does, making her lip twitch. Aria holds back a laughs, so her mum can continue.

But Harry coughs a laugh and grins at Aria. "It seems that I've been given permission to finally save my godson from your clutches. If that is what he wants, of course." she added and then looks to Harry. Aria watches as shock colors his expression and she found it highly amusing.

Harry was still recovering from shock and it took Aria's laughter to snap him out of it. The idea of living with his godmother and Aria had seemed farfetched until this moment. It was the last thing he was expecting for his birthday. "Dumbledore said it's safe?" he asked her, excitedly. "I can finally live with you?"

"Is it safe?" Iris pondered with a smirk, thinking of the extensive wards that Dumbledore was having Alastor Moody place on her old family home. "We're working on it. However, I think Dumbledore is tired of arguing with me."

He breaks into a wonderful smile. "I'll go grab my belongings."

Ten minutes of awkward silence and scowling and Harry returns with his trunk and Hedwig. Aria let out a not so discreet sigh of relief as he did. Both witches head to the door, but Harry addressed his aunt. "I-. Thanks." he blurts, surprising everyone in the room. Petunia was completely dumbstruck.

Then he continued to the door, only to be stopped by the arrival of Vernon and the dreadful Marge. Aria noticed they were just about equally large and even their glares matched. Vernon glared at Iris and Aria, who was now blue haired. "Come to take the boy away for good?" The large man taunted, believing the idea was unlikely.

Iris grins, widely. "Vernon, you are such a git." she told him, causing his face to turn bright red and his sister to gasp. "How dare yo-." The wretched woman begins. Iris cut her off, "Say goodbye, Harry."

Iris and Aria, who was snickering brush past the two siblings and to the front door. She loved it when her mother insulted the old coot. It was one of the reasons why she never missed a visit to the Dursley's home. Harry nods to Vernon Dursley, "Thanks for having me." and follows his godmother and sister to the door.

"Ready, Harry?" Aria asked him, holding out her pale hand. He noticed her own hand with entwined with her mother's. They were apparating. Harry was hesistant to take her hand as it wasn't his favorite way to travel. After a seconds thought, he grasps her hand and they disappear from the Dursley's home with a pop before Marge can even notice.

As he recovers from all the oxygen being sucked out of his body, Harry looks at his surroundings and realizes that he is standing in Clearwater Manor, his godmother's family home in Hogsmeade. He had been to the manor a few times and spent the Christmas holidays there often. It was definitely one of the few places he felt at home.

"I was thinking of Flooing over to the Weasley's after you were unpacked," Aria announces, snapping him from his thoughts. She and they twins wanted to get back to developing new products. So far they had exploding birthday candles and bath soap that dyed your skin blue. "Are you up for it, Harry?"

He throws her a grin and nodded, "I'll find you when I'm finished."

Aria frowned at the missed chance to test a new instant hogtying product. "Good, 'cause Mrs. Weasley baked you a birthday cake and I reckon some of them have gifts for you." she smiled, then looked to her mother. "And mum's got a few hidden away in her closet."

Iris lightly smacked her daughter's arm. "Oi! Thanks for ruining the surprise!" she stated.

Aria shrugged, "Your plan was cruel and you know I cannot lie!" she relieved. Harry laughed, though agreeing with her. Aria learned at a young age what a bad liar she was when she and Harry snuck off to Honeyduke's early one morning and lied about it on one of Harry's many visits. She decided that being truthful was her best option and its worked for her ever since. "Making someone think you forgot their birthday is evil, Mum. Even Voldy wouldn't stoop that low." she joked, receiving another smack from her mum.

"Harry, if you need any help settling in, just ask." Iris tells him, sincerely. "I'll be in the kitchen and Happy Birthday." she added, sweetly.

Iris heads off when she recieves his nod and thanks. Aria nudged his shoulder with hers, "Same here, mate." she pats her stomach. "Mum didn't cook such a hearty breakfast this morning, so I'm going to make up for it. Scream if you need me, it would tick mum off." Aria chuckled and followed her mum into the kitchen, leaving Harry to head to his room.

Aria walks into the kitchen to see her mum, standing by the counter with a blank and pale expression. She rushed to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright, mum?"

Iris shook her head. She wasn't sure what she was feeling, but it was everything, but alright. It was fear and relief mixed into one and she knew that it was anything, but alright. She then thinks of her daughter and how she will feel. Iris quickly clutches the newspaper to her chest, so she doesn't see it. There was no way she could hide the truth from Aria, but at least she could prepare her daughter.

She turned to face her, "Aria, I need you to sit and listen to me."

Aria was shocked by her mother's serious tone. Only a few times had she heard it, all those times didn't have a pretty outcome. "Sure, mum." she agreed and sat in a stool that was to her right. Aria seriously hoped she hadn't found out about the prank letter she and the twins had sent to McGonagall. "What is it?"

Iris took a deep breath and reached out to clutch her daughter's hand in comfort. "I need to be strong for me, Ari." she explained to her daughter with a ball in her throat. Aria now looked worried. "Not just now, but for quite awhile."

"Mum, you're scaring me."

"I know, I know and I'm sorry." Iris apologized, though she was scared as well. It was too much and what could happen was too much as well. The thought of him gone was terrible, the thought of him dead-. Souless. Was heartbreaking. "It's about your dad."

Aria stiffened. Tears threatening to break free. "He's... he's not dead, is he?"

She squeezed her daughter's hand. "No, but... He's escaped Azkaban and if he-."

"He's captured he'll receive the dementor's kiss." Aria finished in a grim tone. Thoughts are running through her head, quickly, but the most selfish one outweighs them all. Maybe I'll finally get to meet him. She tried to brush it off, only to fail. She instead attempts to distract herself. "Merlin, just when I thought the nasty comments were stopping." she said for her mum's sake.

Iris gave her a sad smile, seeing her daughter's strength, already. "They are going to get a lot worse."

Aria snorts, "No doubt."

Silence weighs in on them for a while, leaving them both to their confused and mixed feelings. Aria soon grows curious. "How did he do it?" she blurted out. "No one has ever been able to, he must be pretty remarkable, mum." Then, snorts once again. "Possibly still sane, too."

"Do you remember what I told you when I showed you my Animagus form?" she questioned, making Aria think way back to her first year when her mum randomly turned into a sleek black lab, scaring the wits out of her.

"That you weren't registered."

"Because it's always safe to have a way out." she told her, gravely. "I didn't tell you this when you were younger because I didn't want you to think you were raised by some nutter who doesn't trust the Ministry, but now, you understand that it, by that I mean the Ministry cannot be trusted." her mum paused, to let out a dry laugh. "When things go bad, Ari, you're going to need a way out. Your dad knew this, as well."

Aria looked up at her in surprise. "Dad's an Animagus." she murmured. "Dementors can't sense the emotions of an animal, that's brilliant." And then, the thoughts rolled in. "But why now? Why not sooner? What was so important to risk his life for?"

Iris did not speak. She knew her daughter was not finished. Aria was clever, more so than she. The way her mind worked, Iris would never know. She came up with the simplest solutions to the biggest of problems, realized small things no one cared for and processed information until it was sucked dry. It was a mind, so many conveted.

"Unless..." she began once again, tapping her hand on her knee. Aria looked warily at her mother and she nodded at her to continue. "Unless, he somehow discovered that someone he cared for was in danger. Unless, he was sure there was no other way."

Aria noticed her mum gazing at her in amazement and she blushes. She sometimes let her thoughts go to far, it was a shock that no one had labled her as a nutter as of yet. "That's brilliant and so like Sirius." she exclaimed, startling Aria. She watches her mum as she starts ranting. "Oh, that man! What an idiot, he is. In Azkaban getting his happy memories sucked out of him and he's still trying to protect people!"

Aria smiled at the love in her mum's eyes as she ranted. Lesser women would have given up, but not Iris. "This could be the last time to prove his innocence, mum." she reminded her, after a lot of ranting. "We need to figure out who that blasted secret keeper was! If only we could talk to h-. No, too risky."

Iris sighed and pat one of her hands for comfort. "I know, we'll talk to Dumledore."

Aria's reply is cut off by a knock at the door. She laughed, "A galleon says that's Remus, coming to break the news in a less dramatic manner and he's brought chocolate to make us feel better." she joked as her mother heads off to answer the door.

This is my first hp fic, so don't hate me if its terrible. Thanks for reading. I love reviews!


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